Collapsible vehicle

ABSTRACT

A vehicle with a collapsible body. With this construction a one-person&#39;s vehicle can be folded together to a very compact size with the dimensions of an average suitcase. The body comprises two halves: a front and back part. Each of these parts contains a lower and upper hollow section. Each upper hollow section can slide telescopically in and out the lower hollow section, thus enlarging or reducing the length of the corresponding part. In the collapsed state both parts with all their sections are nested into each other. A further reduction of the volume of the collapsed vehicle can be achieved by using a chassis with two retractable slidable frame parts.

The present invention relates to a vehicle with a collapsible body. Withthis system a one-person vehicle can be collapsed to very compactdimensions of the size of an ordinary suitcase.

In the patent literature many collapsible vehicles are described:

GB1383997 (1974 Greppi) describes a vehicle, whose front and back sidecan be folded to reduce the size of the vehicle.

JP 58122265 (1983 Nakamatsu) describes a vehicle, the length of whichcan be reduced using a scissor construction.

DE 8908186 (1989 Schausten) and DE 29621710 (1996 Schausten) describe avehicle with a body that comprises slidable and nested side- androof-panels that move along a guide brace.

US 2005236202 (2005 Walworth) describes a vehicle with a collapsibleroof structure.

The present invention relates to a collapsible construction, thatfurther reduces the volume of the collapsed state as compared to theabove mentioned vehicles.

The body consists of two parts: a front part and a back part. Each partcomprises an upper and lower hollow section. Each upper hollow sectioncan telescopically slide inward and outward in the lower hollow sectionto reduce or increase the length of the corresponding part. The hollowsections can have the shape of a rectangular box or semicylinder.

If the upper hollow section of one part is telescoped into the lowerhollow section, the other part can be turned around this part and so thefirst said part is nested inside the second said part of which the upperhollow section can also be telescoped into the lower hollow section. Inthis way the volume of the body can reduced by three-quarter. A furtherreduction of the volume of the collapsed body can be realised through achassis which encompasses two telescoping frame members, such that thefront body part is attached to the front frame member and the back bodypart is attached to the back frame member.

The present invention will be further elucidated here below withreference to the annexed figures of several examples of embodiments:FIG. 1 shows the folded-out vehicle in which there is space for oneperson. The front part comprises an upper hollow section 1 and a lowerhollow section 2, which have the shape of a hollow semicylinder in thisfigure. The upper hollow section 1 comprises two guides 5, which canslide telescopically in the corresponding guides 6 of the lower hollowsection 2.

For extra strength more than two pairs of guides 5 and correspondingguides 6 can be used. The upper hollow section 1 comprises at its top acover 9, which in this semicylindrical design has a semicircularsurface. The lower hollow section 2 can comprise a similar cover at itsbottom. The back part of the body comprises an upper hollow section 3and a lower hollow section 4, which also have the shape of a hollowsemicylinder in this figure. The upper hollow section 3 comprises twoguides 7, which can slide telescopically in the corresponding guides 8of the lower hollow section 4.

For extra strength more than two pairs of guides 7 and correspondingguides 8 can be used. The upper hollow section 3 comprises at its top acover 10, which in this semicylindrical design has a semicircularsurface. The lower hollow section 4 can also comprise a similar cover atits bottom.

The lower section 2 of the front part of the body is hingedly connectedwith a hinge 12 to the chassis 11. The lower section 4 of the back partof the body is hingedly connected with a hinge 13 to the chassis 11.This chassis 11 is, in the here depicted embodiment of the invention, arectangular box with a front wheel 14 at its front and two rear wheels14 attached to its back. An electric motor can be placed in the frontwheel 14 for the propulsion of the vehicle. In stead of this in analternative design the electric motor can propel the back wheels 14 orthe back wheels are driven by pedals and a chain.

In the FIGS. 2 to 5 (inclusive) the folding-together process of thevehicle's body is depicted.

FIG. 2 shows the first phase of the folding-together process with theupper section 1 of the front part slid into the lower section 2 of saidfront part.

FIG. 3 depicts the vehicle after this retracted front part is turnedabout the hinge 12 and is flat-lying onto the chassis 11.

For this the vehicle's steer must be folded in/turned over too.

FIG. 4 shows the vehicle's configuration after turning over the backpart of the body about the hinge 13 such that said back part is lyingflat on the retracted front part.

FIG. 5 depicts the final position of both collapsed nested parts in thefolded-in configuration, with the upper section 3 is slid into the lowersection 4 of the back part. The wheels 4 can be designed as detachablefrom the chassis. After the wheels 14 are uncoupled from the chassis 11they can be stored within the inner hollow section 1 of the nestedsections of both parts. In an other embodiment of the invention, aftercollapsing both parts of the body, both back wheels 14 together withtheir forks are turned over such that they either ly flat on the bottomof the chassis 11 or the back forks with the back wheels are rotatedabout an axis parallel to the wheel axles and reside next to thecollapsed nested hollow body parts. The front wheel 14 and its fork canalso be tilted because said fork comprises two hinged elements. Byturning the front wheel and tilting the fork, the front wheel can lyflat onto the bottom of the chassis. This yields a significant spacereduction.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show an alternative embodiment of the present invention.In FIG. 6 the folded-out configuration is shown of a vehicle's body thatagain comprises two body parts. The first part includes preferably twohalfcylindrical sections with one section 1 sliding in another section2. Section 1 has a guide 5 which telescopes in the corresponding guide 6of section 2. The second part includes preferably two halfcylindricalsections with one section 3 sliding in another section 4. Section 3 hasa guide 7 which telescopes in the corresponding guide 8 of section 4.The first mentioned part has slightly smaller outside dimensions thansaid second part and can turn around a vertical rotation axis 15. Thisrotation axis 15 can be designed as a pin or bolt through both covers 9and 10 and a corresponding pin or bolt through both bottom covers for arotatable mutual attachment. In FIG. 7 is depicted the state of thefolding-in process with said first smaller part is turned overapproximately 180 degrees about the vertical rotation axis 15 and saidfirst part is completely or largely enclosed in said second bigger part.

In FIG. 8 the final state of the collapsing process is shown. Here allnested sections of both parts are slid into each other along theirguides.

In FIG. 9 another variant of the invention is depicted with a chassiswhich includes a front frame member 16 and a back frame member 17, whichcan slide inward and outward with respect to each other along guides 18.Each guide 18 can be designed as a block with two round holes, throughwhich the round legs of the frame members 16 and 17 can slide.

The vehicle again comprises a front part with an upper hollow section 1and a lower hollow section 2. Both said sections are here (rounded)box-shaped. The upper hollow section 1 includes two guides 5, which cantelescopically slide inward and outward in the corresponding guides 6 ofthe lower hollow section 2. For the sake of clarity the body panels andcovers are not depicted in this and the next figures. The lower hollowsection 2 of the front part of the body is hingedly connected withhinges 12 to the front frame member 16. The vehicle also includes a backpart with an upper hollow section 3 and a lower hollow section 4, whichare here (rounded) box-shaped. The upper hollow section 3 includes twoguides 7, which can telescopically slide inward and outward in thecorresponding guides 8 of the lower hollow section 4. The lower hollowsection 4 of the back part of the body is hingedly connected with hinges13 to the back frame member 17 (See FIG. 11). In this embodiment of theinvention a front fork 21 is suspended to the top of the front framemember 16 with a hinge 22. The steer 23 is hingedly attached to thisfork 21. Both back wheels 14 are each mounted in a back fork 20. Saidforks 20 being mounted on a rear axle 19, which is attached to the backframe member 17. The two back forks 20 can slide along and rotate aboutthis rear axle 19.

FIG. 10 shows the folded-in configuration of this embodiment of thecollapsible vehicle, as seen from its back. The front frame member 16 ofthe chassis is slid inward into the back frame member 17 of the chassis.The front part of the body has its upper hollow section 1 telescopedinto the lower hollow section 2 and next this front part of the body isturned over 90 degrees about the front frame member 16 with hinges 12.(See FIG. 9)

Similarly the back part of the body has its upper hollow section 3telescoped into the lower hollow section 4 and next this back part ofthe body is turned over 90 degrees about the back frame member 17 withhinges 13.

The front fork 21 with the front wheel 24 and the steer 23 are turnedabout the horizontal top of the front member 16 by a tube hinge 22 suchthat said fork 21 with the front wheel 24 are located inside the body ofthe collapsed vehicle. At this the steer 23 is also turned over itsattachment to the front fork 21 by means of a second tube hinge 25. Bothback forks 20 with their mounted back wheels 14 are moved to the centralpart of the rear axle 19 and are then turned over 180 degrees about thisrear axle 19 to the front so that both back forks 20 with their backwheels 14 reside in the interior of the nested collapsed hollow parts ofthe body. In this way the front wheel 24 is lying between and parallelto both back wheels 14 in the interior of the collapsed vehicle.

This gives a significant reduction of space.

In another embodiment of the invention this front wheel 24 is rotated 90degrees and tilted by the tube hinge 25 after which the front wheel 24is lying flat on the bottom of the chassis between both back wheels 14.

FIG. 11 shows another preferred embodiment of the invention in whichupper hollow section 1 of the front body part is telescoped into thelower hollow section 2 of the front body part and constitutes thebonnet/hood of the vehicle which encloses the steer 23. For the sake ofclarity the body panels, covers and seats are not depicted in this andthe preceding figures. The back part with its upper hollow section 3 andlower hollow section 4, can be turned backwards and secured in ahorizontal position with both hollow sections of this back part areextended outward to increase their total volume. This back part canserve now as a cargo space for the vehicle. Similarly the front part canbe turned forward and secured in a horizontal position, with its hollowsections extended, to serve as the front cargo space.

Furthermore in this figure pedals and a chain are depicted which drivethis carrier-tricycle. The pedals 26 are mounted on a chain wheel 27,which drives a chain or belt 28. In the middle of the hollow rear axle19 a second chain wheel 29 is situated. This chain wheel 29 is firmlyattached by means of a internal drive shaft within the rear axle 19 totwo chain wheels 30 on both ends of that drive shaft at the ends of therear axle 19. The two chain wheels 30 drive a chain or belt 32 on eachback fork 20, which propel a secondary chain wheel 31 on each back wheel14.

It will be apparant to the skilled person that the inventive conceptallows a wide application and is certainly not limited to the givenembodiments, which serve only by way of illustration.

1. Collapsible vehicle, comprising: a chassis with at least threewheels; and a collapsible body including two or more parts with each ofthe parts including one or more hollow sections having a circlesegment-shaped or semicircular or U-shaped cross-section, wherein thebody is hingedly connected to the chassis, and wherein the two or moreparts are nested above each other in a collapsed-configuration of thevehicle.
 2. Collapsible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when in afolded state the body parts are folded to enclose the chassis. 3.Collapsible vehicle according to claim 1, in which each of these partsincluding at least two hollow nested half-cylindrical or box-shapedsections that can telescopically slide inward and outward with respectto each other in their longitudinal direction.
 4. Collapsible vehicleaccording to claim 1, wherein the body comprises two semi-cylindrical orbox-shaped parts each connected with hinges or levers to respectivelyone of the two opposite ends of the chassis and turnable in an mutualopposite direction from a vertical to a horizontal state and thereverse.
 5. Collapsible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the bodycomprises two half cylindrical parts rotatably connected with eachother, and wherein at least one part is revolvable about a central axisof another half cylindrical part.
 6. Collapsible vehicle according toclaim 5, wherein when in folded-out state the central axis is asubstantially vertical rotation axis.
 7. Collapsible vehicle accordingto claim 5, wherein when in a collapsed state one of the halfcylindrical parts completely fits into the other half cylindrical part,and when in a folded-out state the parts together form a cylindricalvolume.
 8. Collapsible vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each of theparts includes at least two hollow nested half-cylindrical or box-shapedsections, preferably wherein each of the two or more parts is connectedto the chassis via a separate hinge.
 9. Collapsible vehicle according toclaim 5, comprising more than two cylinder-segments, wherein each ofthese cylinder segments include two or more hollow nested sectionstelescopically slidable inward and outward with respect to each other,and each cylinder-segment is rotatably connected with the othercylinder-segments and is revolvable about a common central axis of allthe cylinder-segments, with a collapsed configuration in which all thecylinder-segments completely fit nested into each other and a folded-outconfiguration in which all the cylinder-segments together form acylindrical volume.
 10. Collapsible vehicle according to claim 5,wherein either an inner hollow section of each cylinder-segment issealed at its bottom with a cover and an outer hollow section of eachcylinder-segment is sealed with a cover at its top, or the inner hollowsection of each cylinder-segment is sealed at its top with a cover andthe outer hollow section of each cylinder-segment is sealed with a coverat its bottom.
 11. Collapsible vehicle according to claim 1, comprisingone or more parts or cylinder-segments hingely connected to the chassiswith hinges or levers and turnable about these hinges from a verticalposition to a horizontal position, such that in the vertical positionthe extended hollow sections of both folded-out parts orcylinder-segments form one closed cylindrical or box-shaped volumeforming a seat for a person, and in the horizontal position theretracted hollow sections of the collapsed parts or cylinder-segmentsare nested onto each other.
 12. Vehicle according to claim 1,characterised by having a chassis which encompasses a front frame memberand a back frame member that can slide inward and outward with respectto each other along guides, said guides are constructed as a block withtwo round holes, through which the round legs of the frame members canslide.
 13. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterised by having achassis which encompasses two frame members that can slide inward andoutward with respect to each other along guides, through which the legsof the frame members can slide.
 14. Vehicle according to claim 1, withthe front wheel mounted in a fork characterised by the fork beingsuspended to the front frame member with a hinge and the steer ishingedly attached to this fork with a second (tube) hinge and afterturning the fork around the hinge on the front frame member the frontwheel resides, in the folded-in configuration of the vehicle, in theinterior of the nested hollow body parts with either said front wheelflat-lying onto the bottom of the chassis or said front wheel maintainsits original vertical orientation inside the interior of the nestedhollow body, and the steer is turned around the (tube) hinge on the forkand resides inside the interior of the nested hollow body above thefront wheel.
 15. Vehicle according to claim 14 with both of its backwheels mounted in a fork characterised by said forks being mounted on arear axle that is attached to the back frame member and the two forkscan slide along and rotate about this rear axle, such that in thefolded-out configuration of the vehicle both back wheels, on both sidesof the vehicle, project backwards and in the collapsed configuration ofthe vehicle both back wheels with their forks are turned over 180degrees about the rear axle to the front with respect to theirfolded-out configuration and additionally both back wheels with theirforks are moved to the central part of the rear axle such that both backwheels reside in the interior of the nested hollow body parts.
 16. Bikeaccording to claim 15 that comprises a chain guard and pedalscharacterised by a chain or (geared) belt that drives a sprocket orchain wheel on the rear axle and this sprocket, by means of a driveshaft within the rear axle, propels two secondary chain wheels on bothback forks and these two secondary chain wheels each propel with a chainor (geared) belt a sprocket on a back wheel.
 17. Vehicle or bikeaccording to claim 1, characterised by a back part of the body that canbe turned backwards and secured in a horizontal position with bothhollow sections of this back part are extended outward to increase theirtotal volume, and/or a front part of the body that can be turnedforwards and secured in a horizontal position with both hollow sectionsof this front part are extended outward to increase their total volume,to function as a baggage compartment.